Daily Republican., 1887-06-06

genuine, bona dde burglar, such as /
had read about Ia the newspapers. l
could hear footsteps moving to and fro
in the next room, where the safe was.
and the occasional Asnk Of heavy in
strument being dropped or moved
about.
What was Il dor I had been
placed there 10 rotect the property
had had some tsgue idea that if any
persons entered ne place with felo.
NOUS inteEt l VI TO scare them off,
or fight them off, VI rouse the neigh
0ors, or do something of the kind
But plainly nov l was helpless.
could not be blamed for being taken by
surprise, for my uncle had asked me
to sleep here. What did my uncle ex :
pect me to dor Ibid not know. 1
did not think he expected there would
be any trouble-I know the thought
had hardly entered my mind. and yet
-savs the property must, il there was
any way possible.
So l lay and pondered while the
man who had tied me stood with his
arms folded, leaning against the jamb
Of the half open door, calmly chewing
tobacco and looking at me with tran
quill Indifference. How l hated that
maUl would have ground my teeth
witk rage had 1t not been for the gag
in my mouth.
Chink. chink, chinkl What were
they doing In the next rOOmp 1t
seemed hours that / had been lying
there, ecamped and choking, and still
the watcher stood, with folded arms
and steady eye, piacidly chewing.
grew desperate, and with violent
effort rolled off the lounge and on 10
the floor. The nan never moved.
Slowly l arose and sat on the edge OF
the lounge. Still the man stood silent,
and still the measured strokes rang
out with the regularity Of pendulum.
The bull-eye lsntern which the burg.
lar he'd placed on my work bench
burned little pRler, thought; day
must be breaking in the east
Suddenly the noise ceased, and
there was a sound OF voices in the
bank room. Then a head was thrust
in through the door.
Come in here, Jim, we want yez."
''But de kid?"
"De kids all right; haint yc tied
him2" And he pulled him out OF the
room.
Now was my chance! Only, what
was to do? Just here "Jiul' rc-en-
tered, and walking up to the lounge,
pushed me off and ierked off the two
blankets which covered it. What he
did this for | did not know, Then he
went back into the bank, and there
was confusion OF sounds in there, as
as ola number of men working hur-
riedly.
l rose, and leaned up against the
workbench, sick and dizzy. l heard
the sound of horses hoofs away down
the street, Was it rescue? l
strained my ears to hear the sound.
Nearer and nearer, louder and louder,
but All! 1t dashed past and rapidly
died away in the distance.
Then across my mind flashed On
idea. Could it be done2 / drew my
self up till was sitting on the bench;
then ] leaned oyer backward till my
hand touched the key of my telegraph
instrument. l opened it, yes, l could
work it, although it was awkward in
my position. Ticka ticka ticka, ticka
tlcka ticka, over and over again l
sounded the call we had agreed upon.
Wait moment and then begin again !;
ticka ticka ticka--would she never
awaken
A swift footstep approached the
door in the other room. 1 slid down
hastily and lay perfectly quiet on the
floor, leaving the key open. A man
stepped into the room. flashed Ian
tern on to me, growled something, and
went back. l resumed my former po-
sition, and as soon as l pressed down
my key the sounder began to rattle ex.
citedly, She had heard me! | broke
in upon beri--
'"rhe bank Is being robbedr'
l started to say that, but l never got
farther than the third word, for the
door opened again. three or four men
came i'll, and seeing me on the bench,
one of them rushed up to me with an
oath, and striking me ON the head,
knocked me off on to the floor. Then
there was an explosion;the floor shool,
and the windows crashed, and 1 be-
came unconscious.
Next day was told how Clara had
been Weakened by my calling, how she
had tried to find out from me through
the telegraph What l wanted, and then,
thinking something must be wrong
how she hid reused up the men ser
wants, and they had rushed down tt
the bank, how they found the room
full of smoke, the safe door lying OF
the floor. but the contents Of the safe
undisturbed, and me lying bound ant
gagged in the other room.
We never caught the burglars, bu
uncle thinks more of my scientific eX
| periments now than he used to,
|